In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

This keeps getting better and better! The guy is already famous beyond his wildest dreams….

PHOENIX – “A Scottsdale man who allegedly kicked gas canisters at police during the protest of the Trump rally has been arrested two days later, according to Phoenix PD.
Joshua Stuart Cobin, 29, faces three counts of aggravated assault on police and one count of unlawful assembly.

“Cobin appears to be the same protester seen on camera during the protest kicking a gas canister at police before being hit with a second canister in the groin.
Cobin becomes the fifth person arrested in relation to the protest.”

Everyone should see this .
The Car Crash over in Charlottesville was staged.
I have never believed in False Flags .The perps used a journalist doing a live feed to make sure everyone was in p!ace ,no phones needed to be used , He showed the protesters, one street over from Crash site. , the Gray Car ,the maroon van was in place and then walked around and showed the Golf cart and stretcher .They waited there at the carts for about 3 minutes ,then the crash.
There was someone standing there ,by the cart.
I’ m not telling who , but I guarantee you will be shocked , it will flip you out

Seen this over at infowars! It leads to a article to the Hill! The article also quoted Gorka could not get a security clearance also! I don’t know if I trust all these generals in Trumps administration!!😳😳

“Regrettably, outside of yourself, the individuals who most embodied and represented the policies that will ‘Make America Great Again,’ have been internally countered, systematically removed, or undermined in recent months. This was made patently obvious as I read the text of your speech on Afghanistan this week…

“The fact that those who drafted and approved the speech removed any mention of Radical Islam or radical Islamic terrorism proves that a crucial element of your presidential campaign has been lost…

“Just as worrying, when discussing our future actions in the region, the speech listed operational objectives without ever defining the strategic victory conditions we are fighting for. This omission should seriously disturb any national security professional, and any American who is unsatisfied with the last 16 years of disastrous policy decisions which have led to thousands of Americans killed and trillions of taxpayer dollars spent in ways that have not brought security or victory.”

Hope Trump remains steadfast against radical Islamic terrorism and sticks to his statement that there is no moral comparison between Judeo-Christianity and (barbaric, misogynist, oppressive, human rights abusive) Islam.

The link above to The Federalist article by Mollie Hemingway includes parts of Dr.Gorka’s resignation letter.

He is quite blunt, but respectful, that he is resigning because he thinks that important elements of PDJT’s campaign vision have been eroded by his current staff. I think in essence he doesn’t like what he sees as the politically correct generals surrounding the President who are all cut from the same cloth as far as how they approach national security. He was really unhappy with the Afghanistan speech.

The article also talks about the extreme pressure put on Dr.Gorka by the lefty media. They have published articles attacking HIS MOTHER, his wife, and his son’s school work, and of course there is the whole “Gorka is a Nazi” meme which has been disproved as a horrible smear.

I like Gorka, he is very knowledgeable. He was not originally on the Trump train. I remember hearing him on the radio speaking not too nicely about Trump during the primary. He later came on to support him. Something else is going on here that we don’t know about yet, IMHO.

Gorka should have resigned if he wanted to but he should have not given the leftist media more fodder with his explanation. What is the matter with these people? Scaramucci is another one. Even Preibus didn’t get nasty.

Blah, blah, blah ing to the traitorous MSM?

He most likely was threatened and had to use the Afghanistan speech as an excuse to get the bloodthirsty antifa off his back,

I think more that Gorka made his resignation letter public to let Trump supporters know what is going on behind closed doors in the Trump admin.

More concerning is that Trump seems to be losing his close support and advisors who were steadfast in promoting his policies and agenda. He’s also losing his independent, non-swamp sounding board. And, I think some of the blame lies with Javanka.

I was always half convinced by Gorka. People who are fanatics about something like he was with Trump, when they turn are very dangerous , like Scaramucci or maybe this guy. He is better off with Bannon in Breitbart.

I thought Gorka’s letter was sincere and blunt and based in good faith. I’m sorry to see him go. It is always the people of flint and fire, whom the Left hates the most and whom we need the most, that seem to go. The rise of the “blob”, that mass of mealy, morally timorous PC people, is a concern.

Me too, WSB . . . . . . I got that feeling a couple of months ago right after he came to the WH. As I have often said, I do not trust any military officers who made it through Obama’s tenure. They all were on board with Obama’s agenda. Those who weren’t, were let go.

President Trump keeps his campaign promises and always remains loyal to his friends! The power of the Executive Branch are vast and will be unleashed at the time and day of the President’s choosing. God bless the Sheriff and our President!

I remember when Puzder renegged on the Labor Secretary nomination . I was dissappointed. Then I saw him interviewed on either Varney or Lou Dobbs months later.

It seems his entire home had to be over run with a Hazmat team after his wife received a fake anthrax letter. Scared the living daylights out of his wife and children. No wonder he stepped away from the nomination.

I believe President Trump may be getting close to letting all Hell break loose. All of this upeaval and intimidation must stop. Now.

I hope you are correct wsb. I am beginning to wonder if Trump or more likely a family member is in danger and Trump being “forced”. I know that is not his personality, but who among us would not protect our family? Something is not right.

Miller, and Kelly Anne. Sheriff Joe, Jeff Sessions, Mike Kelly. And where is Scott Brown. Remember when Katrina Pearson had the weight of the campaign on her shoulders? Hey! We still have President Trump.

Good evening, Treepers … Please consider making a donation as early as possible to the American Red Cross, either online at http://WWW.REDCROSS.ORG or by mailing a check directly to one of the coastal chapters. Another reputable organization which will be providing disaster relief is Samaritan’s Purse (see contact info below). Thank you!

My Father was the Red Cross — Army liaison. He absolutely hated them. Mom would report Colgate or crest or Gillette had donated X number of razors, toothbrushes…. to The red Cross for the soldiers overseas. The Red Cross would use these donations to extract MORE donations from the little people at home. MEANWHILE the *&%$#@ Red Cross was SELLING the donated razors, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, cigerettes to the injured soldiers in the hospital!

When I was overseas in Germany we were told to go to the Salvation Army for help because the Red Cross wouldn’t do spit.

I donate to the Salvation Army. Heck the Red Cross even sells the blood they collect!

The typical pint of red blood cell product now costs $130 to $150. Fredrick does not expect the price increase to affect hospitals’ ability to provide blood to patients this summer, but she said, “there are still critical blood shortages in this country.”Red Cross to Charge More for Blood – ABC News

I should add. During a Hurricane that hit the Boston MA area. Spags, opened the store doors and told the customers topay what they could but take what they needed. The Red Cross IMMEDIATELY shut him down and told him that he would have to DONATE TO the Red Cross and THEY would take care of distribution aka SELLING the stuff.

Spags was a great man. If he had lived this long I think he would have loved The Donald. I STILL miss that store.

Thanks, GC … When I didn’t see any mention at all in this thread about making donations, I thought I’d at least get the ball rolling. And, despite the anticipated feedback regarding the Red Cross, I think many can agree that acts of compassion by multiple orgs are going to be needed in the aftermath of this storm. My heart aches greatly for what these coastal families are about to endure.

Thanks also for the reminder about donating blood. My most recent blood donation was made in July on behalf of Steve Scalese, so I cannot donate again for a couple weeks. But my calendar has already been marked!

I thought he was advising specifically on matters of national security, but I see that I was wrong. I see he couldn’t get his security clearance, seems like the swamp just wouldn’t let him stay. But we don’t know what other issues are at play here.

But Gorka’s letter indicated someone edited out of the Afghanistan speech the words radical Islamic terrorism. Miller has someone between him and DJT now. That never was the case before. They can ruin Miller’s writing, the last passionate prose.

I think there is a lot going on behind the scenes with the shifting personnel that Trump is orchestrating and/or agreeing to because he thinks it benefits his agenda.

I think it may LOOK like his main supporters are being forced pout but maybe that’s the impression POTUS wants to give to the pols and the media.

I think he’s perhaps reached a point where it might be better for it to APPEAR as if he’s acquiescing to the Washington Establishment while he keeps his trusty troopers off center stage and working from the sidelines.

So I trust POTUS knows what he’s doing and has reasons for the changes.

Also, Gorka evidently had a problem getting security clearance and was also dealing with a firearms problem, according to John Cardillo.

And then PDJT made a big deal about “they told me not to name names” at the rally. It sounds as though there are people who think they are his handlers. I have faith PDJT can handle the wanna be handlers, but it will be interesting to see what happens.

No one really knows. There’s a lot of putting lipstick on the pig here lately. Many indications that maybe we were sold a bill of goods. Trump seems to be making moves away from his campaign promises. I’m taking a wait and see approach but so far what I’m seeing is “concerning”.

His letter to the President puts him squarely at odds with McMaster who professes the Obama creed to never define the radical Islamic terrorists as radical Islamic terrorists.
To quote/paraphrase Trump: if you don’t name them, you can’t defeat them.

The entire Afghanistan speech, if you recall, did not get interrupted once by the military audience. They sensed no highlights. It was received tepidly at best in Fort Myer. Trump shook a few hands of a few guys and left.

Most very experienced military and analysts saw it as more of the same with only the slight change of no withdrawal date and the euphemism of “conditions will determine strategy”.
We did that for 12 years in ‘Nam. Until General Giap chased us out of the South in disgraceful withdrawal, abandoning hundreds of thousands of Highland allies and SVN co-combatants.

The equation in Afghanistan is: if 140,000 troops could not do it when we faced far fewer Taliban, how could we ever achieve victory and change the conditions for leaving?
McMaster now has an open door to add troops as he and Mattis want. Not just 4000. They want at least 80,000. This is Viet Nam v. 2. Already, Ukraine will send thousands of cannon fodder to curry favor. NATO will send thousands. It will build and build. That was Nam. Until we had 565,000 guys there and scores dying every day. Because some generals wanted it. And LBJ needed it, then Nixon needed it.

Gorka senses all this and knows who has fooled whom.

(And I have never been a Gorka fan. But his inside the inner circle of national security gives him credibility to criticize the McMaster cabal.)

Well, let’s hope our President didn’t lose his critical analysis ability over the last couple of weeks. I like to think he has a pretty high functioning BS meter and won’t allow anyone, even The Generals, to lead him into another Vietnam.

I write to our president all of the time and just tried to send him a message; but, unable to put anything more than who I wanted to send the message to and my “prefix” (Mrs.). There could just be issues going on with the site or a glitch, but I have never had this happen.

In my opinion, this is the most important change in policy. We need to put major pressure on Pakistan if we want to see an end to radical extremism in Afghanistan, something neither Bush nor Obama did. I’d like to see the Afghan conflict wrapped up, but I’m willing to give PDJT a shot with this new approach.

Increased Indian influence in Afghanistan puts Pakistan in a vice. Will the Pakistanis risk India getting a foothold west of them or will they start reigning in the militants?

I am glad you know everything and everyone else doesn’t… President Trump has a plan for Afghanistan and it will work its called Pakistan and economic leverage….I voted for President Trump and stand by him not bannon not gorka not anyone else. Trump is my messenger and my weapon of choice!

I am not well versed in warfare, but in my understanding, the U.S. had the Vietnam War won, except the generals were kept from finishing it. It sounds like President Trump is not going to make that mistake again. I like his definition (to my mind) of illegal, violent actions to be attributed to the country from which they are coming.

This cliche phrase “radical Islamic terrorism” is something untethered. Violence belongs to the country from which those violent ones originate. If Pakistan lets violent people cross their borders into another country to engage in violent acts, or houses violent actors, then Pakistan is responsible and must bear the response.

We are in Afghanistan because an attack on the U.S. came from there. Not good to have to do this, but there are important, if painful, reasons why American troops are stationed where they are around the world.

It is time to stop being at war with “Radical Islamic Terrorism” and make every country from which those behaviors emanate own up. The violent ones need to be killed, imprisoned, corralled, and/or contained.

Furthermore, anyone of any persuasion who does not give allegiance to the U.S. Constitution needs to be deported. No names or labels have to be given. Equal opportunity to everyone.

I think we need to open our eyes about which staff members have been pushed out, and which staff members remain. This is not good in my opinion. Trump, Miller, Huckabee, and Conway are the only ones left with MAGA running through their veins.

Not that I’m aware of. I would think we should be hearing a lot more about “key rats” who are impossible to get rid of if that’s the case. I know if I was trying to MAGA and my hands were completely tied by impossible-to-fire key rats, I’d be screaming it from the rooftops, or I’d be in a backroom somewhere brainstorming what to do about it. Someone on PDJT’s team needs to be game planning a clean sweep of key rats, and not-so-key rats. RIFF em, ship em to parts unknown and undesirable, early retire em – whatever it takes. Get them the hell OUT.

It’s going to happen with the CR fight come September. How long can these rats stay in their jobs without pay? How will President Trump use the Continuing Resolution fight to his benefit and to think the ranks. It’s going to be interesting!

I hope you are right! Ryan has openly said he does not think that there will be any need to shut the government down, meaning he will do anything in his power to keep all hands on deck. Let’s see who wins.

I find that hard to believe. With all of the lawyers, lawsuits, and legal issues that Trump has been exposed to throughout his business career that he would not have had this checked out before he pardoned him.

1. Trump is MAGA and MAGA only. He expects Strange to support his agenda and reject McTurtle.
2. Trump knows McTurtle is being totally rejected by the Trump base and is going to use this “embarrassment” (presuming strange loses) to weaken the swamp master.

I have had a different take on this. I think that Trump endorsed Strange during the primary to keep NeverTrumper Mo Brooks from coming in second. Brooks and Strange were tied for second. Trump has no problems with Moore if he were to win. Now that Brooks is out, Trump has since Tweeted good luck to both candidates. IMHO, I think he wants Moore to win, but if not, Strange was better than Brooks. Brooks was terrible to Trump all throughout the election season.

Can we please stop panicking and hyperventilating over every single personnel change in the administration? Trump is still where the buck stops. Nobody tells him how to think. Let’s please take a breath here, OK.

I will never understand why a handful of people here feel the need to pop up at times of their choosing and try to derail and/or minimize the conversation others are having by chiding them. What is so threatening about this discussion?

I really didn’t think the “Big Ugly” would include getting rid of all the Trump loyalists. I guess KAC will be next and that will pretty much clean house of Trump loyalists. Maybe he can get some more Cohn types on board. This 3D chess is tough to keep up on.

On a positive note, I am very happy with the pardon for Sheriff Joe. He deserves peace of mind.
Promises kept. Reward for patriotism. A good story that reverses a great injustice.
DJT did good. This is our Donald.

She is absolutely, calmingly, peacefully, stunningly, inspiringly beautiful. I imagine President Trump is joyful, ecstatic, and soothed in her presence. So good that he has her to come home to after all the pressures of the day. Barron probably make his day, too.

Bull, I am a firmly heterosexual woman. My gender isn’t fluid. Not even a little bit. But Melania is really lovely.

Your comment about the Ancient Greeks would have built a Temple to her made me think of this poem I read a long time ago.

I Knew a Woman
By Theodore Roethke
I knew a woman, lovely in her bones,
When small birds sighed, she would sigh back at them;
Ah, when she moved, she moved more ways than one:
The shapes a bright container can contain!
Of her choice virtues only gods should speak,
Or English poets who grew up on Greek
(I’d have them sing in chorus, cheek to cheek).

How well her wishes went! She stroked my chin,
She taught me Turn, and Counter-turn, and Stand;
She taught me Touch, that undulant white skin;
I nibbled meekly from her proffered hand;
She was the sickle; I, poor I, the rake,
Coming behind her for her pretty sake
(But what prodigious mowing we did make).

Love likes a gander, and adores a goose:
Her full lips pursed, the errant note to seize;
She played it quick, she played it light and loose;
My eyes, they dazzled at her flowing knees;
Her several parts could keep a pure repose,
Or one hip quiver with a mobile nose
(She moved in circles, and those circles moved).

Let seed be grass, and grass turn into hay:
I’m martyr to a motion not my own;
What’s freedom for? To know eternity.
I swear she cast a shadow white as stone.
But who would count eternity in days?
These old bones live to learn her wanton ways:
(I measure time by how a body sways).

Roger Stone left the campaign soon after it started and when many gave up on the hope that Trump had any chance, he never wavered, and was always saying he had a reasonable path to victory. Hopefully, Bannon and Gorka will act accordingly and continue to shed the light.

Not willing to come close to throwing in the towel, but my “I love that guy!” quotient has dropped considerably. Trump created unattainable amounts of goals/expectations, but every goal/expectation was right up my ally so his successes have been delicious. I want to eat the elephant, but a nice t bone steak is nothing to cry about.

I am glad you know everything and everyone else doesn’t… President Trump has a plan for Afghanistan and it will work its called Pakistan and economic leverage….I voted for President Trump and stand by him not bannon not gorka not anyone else. Trump is my messenger and my weapon of choice!

“The problem is that according to federal pardon rules and regulations, if Bolton is allowed to hold the sentencing hearing, Arpaio would have to wait five years before being eligible for a presidential pardon.
Moreover, sources close to Sheriff Arpaio, including his legal team, have advised Sheriff Arpaio that Judge Bolton, aware now that President Trump want to pardon Arpaio, has nothing to lose by imposing a jail sentence and demanding that Arpaio begin serving the jail sentence immediately.
All this ignores the abundant evidence that Arpaio is the victim of an Obama Department “revenge prosecution” because he attempted to enforce immigration laws the Trump administration wants enforced.
Goldman, in his letter addressed today to White House Counsel explained the problem Arpaio now faces as follows:
Given that sentencing is scheduled on a Friday, waiting to issue a pardon until after sentencing leaves open the very real scenario for Sheriff Arpaio to be sentenced, handcuffed, given a “perp walk” and incarcerated on Friday, October 5, 2017, and left to languish in federal custody until such time as a pardon is issued, accepted, and filed with the court, and thereafter recognized by the court. Consequently, any delay of a pardon until after sentencing would only serve to exacerbate the injustices that have been suffered by Sheriff Arpaio.”

Respectfully, I have never heard anything like that restricting presidential pardons and I don’t believe it.
Doesn’t mean I’m right, just means I think I would have seen that restriction before. I’ve seen a lot of pardons: Before charged, after charged, after found guilty, etc. Never heard of any 5 year restrictions.
Not buying that until some convincing data is posted,
Mike

y’know, on a certain level, who gives a cr*p about “federal pardon rules and regulations”? I realize that it is normally wise to set up a process to weed thru many requests for anything, but ultimately the Constitution states that the President “shall have Power to Grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.” Nothing there about any rules or regulations so if I’m President Trump I’d say screw it, issue the pardon, and see what happens…nyuk, nyuk, nyuk. Meanwhile, DACA dies and transgenders will not be allowed to bog down our military, so all in all, a good day for America and I’m happy with the Boss…as usual.

Bannon, Gorka and others MAGA soldiers will be part of plan from outside to push RINO and end the fake msm. We may hear new news tv channel right of fox. I hope OAN will merge with BB and make it bigger.

I hope you are right… it doesn’t sound that way right now.. The letter sounded like Gorka thinks MAGA is gone…I disagree…. MAGA is Trump… Neither Gorka or Bannon have to be there… I just hope they don’t turn on him…

This should be the last of the WH staff shake-ups. Still need to put in a full-time DHS Secretary, and need someone as permanent Comm Director (maybe Hicks becomes permanent), but this should be about it in terms of cleaning house, I’d think, unless further leakers are identified and terminated.

As someone also mentioned above, it appears that Gorka never was able to resolve the issue of getting a permanent security clearance.

The left wants Stephen Miller but they’re not going to get him, I don’t think. He seems like Trump’s main speechwriter, and I really doubt he leaves the White House now. Good.

Don’t know who this John Danforrth person is who Trump “lost,” but we’re about done with Charlottesville and we can finally start moving on with what should be a stable White House staff.

Who gives the clearance? Not to be all conspiracy theory but could it have been b.s. to just keep him out? I do think though with bannon gone it would be harder. Wasnt his wife hired too? Sad but I guess we will see what happens.

I’m not going to get too excited about the Podesta stuff just yet. My initial feeling is that this might be another attempt to get dirt on Manafort (Mueller seems to be trying very hard to flip Manafort).

Apparently, the Podesta Group worked with Manafort before. Perhaps in regards to the Ukraine.

You keep saying “flip Manafort” or “flip Flynn” – why? What on earth do you think they are going to “flip” with? There was no collusion, no obstruction of justice and, in fact, the only 2 being investigated are Manafort and Flynn who do have issues. Trump is not under investigation and never has been.

Sorry, I don’t have notifications set to know if you replied. I checked the thread earlier and didn’t see it.

Anyway, I believe you would be wrong in your assumption that Mueller is trying to get someone to lie about Trump. Trump is clean and is not, nor has he been, under investigation.

Manafort and Flynn will probably get pardons if anything comes of the investigation, so why go through the drama of lying about Trump?

Thus, in essence, I find your repetitive theory (in that you have posted this many times now) to be flawed and without logic. I am starting to wonder what your angle is with this kind of post. You had some very solid posts a while back and now…. hmmm…

All good on the no notifications thing. My apologies for my tone as I felt you were deliberately trying to rile me.

The report that Mueller is trying to “flip” Manafort has been out there for a bit, I believe. It has been discussed by people like Napolitano, among others.

The flipping thing is a strategy. That doesn’t mean the strategy will work (probably nothing there on Trump), but it’s a legal maneuver that seems well-rehearsed in situations like this.

If Mueller wants to try to flip Manafort, then first you get dirt on Manafort and indict him. And then you try to make a deal with him to remove/lesson any possible crimes/sentencing if he gives you dirt on Trump.

I do think that is what is happening here. I hope I’m wrong. But I also think that Manafort is not going along with Mueller. That is, I think Manafort is resisting the attempt to flip him.

If Manafort and Flynn hold out on helping Mueller, my guess is both will be pardoned by Trump should they be charged with crime. Much as, I believe, Bill Clinton pardoned Susan McDougal after McDougal (I think) refused to help Ken Starr.

In some respects, this is a game. Hopefully Manafort and Flynn will execute the game plan in a way that assists Trump.

I don’t mean to offend, but my radar has been pinging. I am not sure if you are aware but there is a known method of infiltration by certain entities to try to takeover a forum – I am aware of these tactics (having been a sysAdmin since Compuserve days and owner/admin of a gaming forum more recently).

I was going to apologize for being suspicious. But then I got to your second post and last paragraph where you now threaten me and insult me. Which gives another ping.

Here is the bottom line — you don’t want to hear what I’m saying. Either because you don’t understand the concept or you don’t want to think there’s any “there” there for Manafort to discuss if he flips on Trump.

Those issues, your issues, are not my problem. If you want to look up the reports — like the one I cited — and educate yourself, go for it. If you want to ask me what I’m talking about in a non-accusatory way, go for it.

If you, instead, attempt to paint me as a troll for bringing up reality and trying to analyze it to help the forum, I can and will defend myself ably and do so by rhetorically and literarily eviscerating you.

It’s your choice. Doesn’t matter to me.

I’m just letting you know how it’s going to be.

In the last two weeks or so, I have discussed here about Bannon leaving and Gorka leaving. I was attacked both times and called a troll.

This man McCain is so pathetic. I wish his family would encourage him to fade off into the sunset. We, taxpayers, should not have to have a man with a terminal brain tumor making decisions for us. It really is obsurd. His legacy will be one of hate and arrogance.

More winning! Oh dear, no more climate change awards for the likes of Goldman Sachs 😀 😀 😀

The Environmental Protection Agency has dropped its sponsorship of a climate change awards program co-sponsored by two environmental organizations.

“The Agency has decided to discontinue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) involvement with the 2018 Climate Leadership Awards program,” the EPA said on its website.

“This includes canceling the 2018 Climate Leadership Awards as well as EPA’s sponsorship of the Climate Leadership Conference.”

The awards program recognizes organizations and individuals that take steps to address climate change. It also awards organizations that publicly report their greenhouse gas production levels and reduction efforts.

Winners in 2017, which were announced at the Climate Leadership Conference in March, include Goldman Sachs, IBM and Lockheed Martin Corp., as well as a California assemblyman, the climate policy director for Atlanta and a sustainability officer for JetBlue Airways.

IMHO, it isn’t a good sign when Bannon and Gorka are pushed out, and the liberal appointees are kept. When I voted for PDJT, I voted for the sensibilities of people like Bannon and Gorka. Not for people like Cohn and Ivanka who are in essence calling the people who voted for PDJT racists.